Foo Fighters Rider '11

Foo Fighters Rider '11

JUNE 14--Along with a coloring book and activity pages, the 2011 Foo Fighters tour rider is overflowing with the kind of humor that observers have come to expect from the rock band.

The 52-page rider advises concert promoters on the group’s requirements on a variety of matters, including meals and assorted hospitality issues. As seen in these excerpts, Dave Grohl & Co. (aided by tour manager/rider author Gus Brandt) have created a document that presents these demands in a dizzying, stream-of-consciousness fashion.

While many riders read like they were drafted by those bean counters who tabulate Oscar votes (we’re looking at you Eagles), the Foo Fighters version is a rollicking collection of one-liners, pop culture riffs, non sequiturs, and tales from the road.

The Foo Fighters are currently in Europe on the first leg of the group’s 2011 tour. So most U.S. promoters still have a couple of months to shop for the socks, t-shirts, and movies requested by Grohl and his bandmates. This section of the rider is described as “aka ‘I’M NOT GETTING THESE DOUCHEBAGS DVD’S + UNDERWEAR!” (15 pages)

Comments (6)

TruthBearer....are you serious? That rider is hilarious! Of course they are asking for what they want..... they ARE paying for it. Are you telling me that you wouldn't have some requests to make yourself feel more at home? Did you also notice that they keep mentioning the roadies and the ROADIES likes/dislikes. They are taking care of their people. They inject the humorous lines because they have a sense of humor. You might want to get one.

I didn't say it wasn't funny. If they were paying for it themselves, then their demands are understandable, but I was under the impression that the accomodations and amenities in the contract are provided by the venue or whomever is promoting the event. Why are their demands any different than the ones from say, Katie Perry when so many others derided her for it? If it's because they injected humor into it, then that's what I was saying about doing it to take away from it seeming so demanding.

It's unbelievable that they want everything to be exactly to their liking. Wouldn't it be nice if life were really like that for everybody who works just as hard or harder and not just for spoiled rock stars and celebrities? I think they may inject the humorous lines in the rider so they will leave the reader thinking, "Hey these guys are funny and down to Earth.", to take away from them seeming so demanding. They sound quite arrogant, paranoid and anal and makes me not even want to listen to their music.

why do you wrongly assume this is JUST for the band? The rider is for EVERYONE they tour with-lighting guys, backend stage crew, sound mixers and family. Judging from most of your comments on these threads injecting politics where there isn't any-you are the one who needs to stop being so arrogant, paranoid and anal. do us ALL a favor and DON'T listen to their music. You'll be one less tool to bump into at the record stores.